Custom Wood Products -
A Great Front Door is like a Bad Pun
(As published in Log Homes Design Ideas magazine)
By: Matthew G. Welter

So, your new home is finally up! The roof is on, the plumbing lain, all the wiring run. It's time to start thinking about replacing that battle-scarred sheet of plywood in the entry way with a really special door, right? Absolutely wrong.

The time to start thinking about your front door is before you tumble the first boulder aside. A great front door is like a bad pun. Flat, rigid, functional, yet allowing for fluctuations within the framework containing its form. It offers the observer the chance to interface with some statement, perhaps elusive. Stay with me while I explain.

A front door should not be a mere afterthought. It's a trusted barrier to stave the elements, a blockade to banish the bogeyman, and one to contain the kids. But let us not overlook its most noble role. It is a focal point. A statement of values held dear. The one place where a little vanity is not only tolerated -- it's encouraged! It's even expected.

Your front entrance is an open door (intentional pun) for a statement about the ideals and character of the family over whose care it presides. A degree of planning is in order. Indeed, technical considerations dictate a door's design, placement, construction, even its finish from the very start. (Is that a pun?)

I am proud to own and operate a sculpture gallery and studio: Timeless Sculptures, in Kings Beach, Ca.  Here, on Lake Tahoe's pristine North Shore, I and a collection of other woodworkers, sculptors and designers provide the critical needs of log home builders and their clients around the world. Statuary in floor sized to monumental proportion has always been our primary mainstay. More recently however, sculptured furniture and cabinetry, as well as architectural components have grown from pet projects to the "tail that wags the dog" (that was unintentional). The lodge-style or log home provides a welcome setting for these items and a demand for its evolution and production. Thus, we have encountered the cantankerous nature of the log home door. Yes, cantankerous. Grouchy, irritable at times contentious. Entry doors especially pose technical challenges unique unto themselves. Consider the peculiarities:

A heavy, lumbering (bad pun) cut of raw nature that must at once be weather tight, functional, and graceful in the aesthetic. All within the confines of a massive structure which settles and shifts; a structure made of material which expands and contracts, warps and cracks -- cracks!

These parameters are no surprise to a seasoned (no pun intended) adventurer who sets out to construct a log home, but the particular challenges presented by doors themselves have been known to stump (damn the puns) the most confident builders.

Before attempting to write this essay on carved doors, I consulted two veterans in the field. The first one was Ron Ramsey, who executes most of the doors commissioned through "Timeless Sculptures".  Ron is a master technician and artist with decades of experience at relief format sculpture and architectural components such as doors, mantels, facades, etc. His contributions over the years have been invaluable.

My other kind consultant was Bruce Olson who is the builder and architect behind Olson Construction in Olympic Valley, Ca. He is responsible for some of the most impressive log and lodge-styled structures in the Tahoe basin and beyond. I was not surprised to find that most of what Bruce had to say was in accordance with Ron's input. It seems that learning from ones mistakes is universal, indeed. Both of my brilliant consultants' input was in line with my own experiences as well.

Now let us explore some of the potential pitfalls, and I'll certainly avoid any more puns (you know I wooden do that).

Let's first discuss form -- no, function considering the above outlined limitations. Let's make sure the door is going to work first. The material you choose should be compatible with that of the main structure, preferably of the same species. Cedar, Pine, Butternut, Fir and Oak make good doors as does Mahogany and Walnut. However, the later two choices may sacrifice some of the design, since darker woods do not as effectively portray three dimensional aspects such as ridges, valleys and undercuts. Some woods are less susceptible to fungus build-up. That is a factor. Harder woods are generally better sound deadeners, if this is a priority.

The placement of the entry is certainly an issue. Generally, the South and West take the worst beating from weather, but his too varies by geographic location. A semi-enclosed entryway can minimize this effect in most cases. Properly designed enclosures can even be used to "frame in" and enhance a well placed door. Keep in mind; the sun's UV rays are actually more damaging than the rain and snow. Higher altitudes have thinner atmospheres; therefore the sun is more intense. The above considerations should be discussed at length with your architect and builder. In fact, potential disasters can be avoided by keeping all of your subcontractors informed and on the same page in regard to your plans and ideas.

Bruce pointed out that a log home should be built and roofed first, then allowed to settle for a year or so. Let the floor shift, the rafters sag, the doorways twist and the windows tweak. Then it's time to fit everything. Good point, Bruce.

If there is no time to allow the home to settle, then the front door's construction can minimize problems. A door that sticks, emits weather or won't latch gracefully is not a statement, it's a curse.

"Core-box construction" is plywood or particle board surrounded and sandwiched in solid wood veneer. It stays flat and stable, but there is no room for expansion, contraction or shifting. Better save that for a properly seasoned and settled home, but if you do, make sure the solid wood veneer on the outside is three quarters to an inch thick if you want to have your front door carved.

In an unsettled home you may want your door to be of "Solid Plank and Z Brace Construction", with a free-floating spline at each joint. This will allow for slippage while remaining weather-tight. If your home is more conventional, especially if your entryway is of standard-framed construction, then perhaps a "Stile and Rail" door with carved panels is appropriate. In any case, your door should be built slightly oversized and fitted on-sight in order to address any surprises that may emerge.

This is a good time to talk about actually hanging your door. Because of excessive weight ball-bearing type hinges are recommended for heavy doors. Be careful! Remember the door should be allowed to open as close against the supporting wall as possible.  Sometimes it is best to reduce the wall thickness (using rock work, vertical timbers, etc.). Of course, a residential door should always open inward, so that guests don't feel like they're entering a Motel 6. Hammered-iron or copper knobs and latch assemblies are compatible with wood. Don't offend the custom woodwork with brass, and certainly not stainless steel, instead having your hardware custom made could be fruitful. A solenoid with a remote hidden in the jamb is a viable option for a dead bolt (technology, like a bad pun in this instance, should be tastefully downplayed).

Since we have wandered into a discussion of form, let's let our hair down and talk about the door's aesthetic value. After all, this is your big chance to let the world know who you are -- but don't over do it. No one likes a ham. Over refinement and painstaking detail does not weather well, and is in some cases ineffective. Let line, content, and proportion carry the sculpture. Don't clutter things up with over-stated trim, garish color tones or unnecessary detail.

Whether or not its sculptured, remember you are going to confront this little part of yourself and your family every time you enter, and so are your guests. Choose imagery that is subtle, yet firmly rooted. Meanings change as we mature, so choose something that can grow with you. Consult your designer and the artist involved in the actual relief work. They are specialists with imagery, and a good design specialist should take into account the home owner's tastes, needs, and budget. The aesthetic should be integrated with your personality, lifestyle and individual outlook.

Your front door will be a visitor's first impression, and their last. Don't skimp on quality! Masterful design, good craftsmanship and competent artistry are crucial. These will insure good form as well as function, thereby presenting a stable impression.

Now, let us not neglect the overall shape or the "envelope form" which will contain the relief work. Again, an experienced designer whose taste you trust is your best friend here. The shape of the door directly hinges on (OK, that one slipped) the proportions established by the roof line, posts, porch, etc. May I point out too, that arched or gambrel-styled doors pose special installation challenges? Believe it or not even the local code enforcement officer wants to tell you how to do a proper arch. You may want to check on local height restrictions etc. before finalizing your framing plans.

Once your incredible door has been designed, constructed and sculpted it will likely need to be shipped to you. Are you sure the crater is competent? Is the parcel properly insured? We're talking about a one-of-a-kind creation here. It's a beautiful thing, with a life of its own. Did you know that many shippers refuse to handle artworks precisely because of their irreplaceable nature?

Don't order your door pre-hung. Once the door arrives, find someone in your area who can jamb and hang the piece. They will be more in touch with compatible materials to be had locally, and they can specially fit the door to compensate for settling, etc.

In closing, I'd like to address the type of finish (pardon the... never mind). Try to use the same finishing materials that you protected the main structure with, preferably a hand-rubbed oil finish; one that "bites" into the wood, and not one that just lays on the surface. Varnishes and lacquers can fill in delicate detail, and a shiny finish can displace light, thereby diminishing the total effect. On that note, try to choose a finish that has a fungicide, especially in more humid locations. And don't neglect regular maintenance! Clean and oil the piece annually, at least.

Timeless Sculptures can help with all aspects of your entry door from planning and design through the construction and carving, to crating and shipping. We'll also be available for consultation trough the installation and maintenance. Give my office a call and schedule a conference call. I always have an opening to fill (all right, that's the last pun!).

Upon reassessment, I suppose a great front door is not exactly like a bad pun in that a  great front door doesn't happen by accident (Now here's an opening for a door pun big enough to walk through, but I'll be good).